Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Things to give up for Lent and how to succeed!

At this time I start
thinking about what pancakes to make for Shrove Tuesday. Of course
the day after is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Although the religious significance of Lent is not as strictly adhered to as it
once was many people do use the time to try and change something in
their lives.

You could go for a
traditional 'giving up' in terms of alcohol, cigarettes or a specific
food. Since I don't drink alcohol or smoke I have in the past forgone
crisps and biscuits for six weeks. I decided no chocolate or cake was
a step too far!

Instead of giving up
something you feel is causing a negative presence in your life you
could make a positive change to your life. Rather than giving up you
could take up a new hobby or interest. You might find this is the
right time to spare some time to volunteer at a local group or
organisation.

Whatever you decide
to do for Lent the only problem that is left is how to stick to it
for the whole six weeks. Some people say that Sundays don't count
whilst others adhere to the full 46 continuous days. If you are still
wondering what to do for Lent or you are worried about sticking to
your intentions then have a read of today's guest post.

“With
Easter just around the corner, we've got a second chance after our
New Year's resolutions to kick those habits to the curb. Lent, which
runs from the 1st March right up until Easter Sunday, is a time where
people traditionally fight the cravings and give up something which
has a negative effect on their lives.

We
understand that giving up your vices isn't always as easy as it
seems. That's why we've put together a list of both the usual
culprits, as well as some unusual alternatives that you could give up
for Lent. There's also some handy substitutes to help you to really
follow through with it!

Food
Miles

If
you're interested in leading a greener lifestyle, reducing your food
miles is a great alternative to the usual lent suspects. 'Food miles'
is the term used to explain how far your food has had to travel
from its original source to reach your plate. Your meals today have
probably travelled long distances involving lorries and aeroplanes,
which all emit emissions, contributing to your carbon footprint.

There's
load of ways to reduce your food miles, and once you know how, it's a
simple and easy way to go green. Try and buy food which is produced
or grown locally, or at least, as close as you can find. If you eat
fruit and vegetables which are in season, they won't have travelled
as far. You can easily find out what's in season online, so make a
habit of checking up regularly!

You
can also have fun shopping around at local farmer's markets and farm
shops, which have delicious, fresh, local produce which is probably
from around the corner. And even better, why not use this as
inspiration to start growing your own?

Using
your car less

Adults
of a working age in the UK spend an average of 9.5 hours a day
sitting - which is quite a substantial amount of time to spend
sedentary. This leads to unhealthy lifestyles, weight gain and many
more problems later in life. So why not be more active and get moving
over Lent?

It's
hard to move more if you have an office job or work on a computer
every day. But the one thing you can change is how you get
there in the first place! If your work isn't too far away, walking to
work or investing in a bike to cycle will do wonders to your health.
Did you know, that by walking just 2.7 miles a day, you will have
walked 1000 miles in a year? Instead of hopping in the car to pop to
the shop - walk! You'll be amazed how refreshed it makes you feel.

Meat

Vegetarianism
is a growing practice for the health conscious. It's widely reported
that eating too much red meat can be bad for us, raising our
cholesterol and being chock full of harmful hormones which can
increase our risk of some nasty diseases.

But
giving up meat can be a difficult task, especially when most of us
consider meat as a staple part of our diet. Just making the move to
eating more ethically sourced white meats can make the world of
difference to both you and the environment, and if you're determined
to go full veggie - there's loads of tasty alternatives!

The
classic meat alternative is tofu, which can be fried up with all sort
of tasty herbs and spices. And there's more - think mushrooms,
eggplants, lentils, beans, and potatoes. You'll be surprised at how
tasty and varied vegetarian food can really be!

Cigarettes

2017
should be the year to finally kick the unhealthiest habit of them
all. Not only does smoking seriously harm your health and severely
increase your risk of several cancers, but it also affects your
ability to taste. Smoking makes the taste buds on your tongue less
sensitive - and who wants to be missing out on a world full of tasty
food?

If
you need some help along the way, making the first switch to an
e-cigarette is a step in a much healthier direction. It's widely
reported as a key
factor in smokers having success with quitting the habit.
The difference between e-cigarettes and normal cigarettes is the
missing ingredient tobacco - a cancer causing, harmful component.
They're overall much less toxic and safer to use, so ditch those
cigarettes and buy an e-cig for Lent instead.

Ditching
your mobile before bed

Using
your mobile phone or tablet before bed could be bad for you. Research
into the topic has shown that being exposed to the light given off by
phones, laptops, or other gadgets, can prevent us from sleeping.

Starting
to use your phone less in the evening could be just what you need for
a better night's sleep over Lent. If you find it hard to cut out
technology altogether, a good way to minimise damage is to dim the
display to the lowest setting, or switching to a good book at least
30 minutes before bed to calm your mind. There's even apps to help
you take breaks from your phone, such as 'Time Out', which will help
remind you when it's time to switch that screen off for the night.

Now
you have no excuse not to ditch your bad habits for Lent! Use our
handy tips and tricks over Lent to become an better, healthier, or
greeneryou.”

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